Idaho Honors Scholarship Offer to High School Senior Following Cancer Diagnosis

National Signing Day for college football generates all sorts of headlines, many which lean more towards the negative than the positive. This story from Spokane, Wash., is definitely on the positive side of the equation.

Jace Malek, an all-state football player, played through pain in his hip during the 2014 season. Last week, via a report from KHQ, he found out he had a cantaloupe-sized tumor on the hip which was diagnosed as Ewing’s sarcoma.

Making matters worse, the diagnosis came less than a week before Signing Day. Malek committed to Idaho in the fall prior to learning about the cancer, however the school and coach Paul Petrino upheld his scholarship offer.

"“I told them, ‘listen, I know you need to do what’s best, and I realize that might not be keeping my scholarship.’” The school’s response blew him away. “They said ‘you’ve been with us this whole time,’” Malek explained. “Idaho is not leaving your side.”"

According to the report, Malek will undergo chemotherapy and radiation, hoping to return to the field one day. Ewing’s sarcoma is the same form of cancer that sidelined current Giants linebacker Mark Herzlich during his college career at Boston College.

Without getting too high up on a soapbox, it would be nice if the rest of the FBS coaches took a second to hear about this story. At the very least, Petrino could share this one with his brother, Bobby.

[Image via USAT]